Toothbrush



Jul 19, 1966 w. KLAILJG TOQTHBRUSH Filed D60. 20, 1965 H 4. G H

INVENTOR WILLIAM KLANG BY 5% m, M M

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,261,047 TOOTHBRUSH William Klang, 1371 E. 85th St., Brooklyn 36, N.Y. Filed Dec. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 515,134 2 Claims. (Cl. 1522) This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior application Serial No. 489,181, filed September 22, 1965, for Toothbrush, now abandoned.

This invention relates to improvements in toothbrushes, and particularly improvements in toothbrushes of the type which oscillate transversely of the brush handle while the handle is being reciprocated in the normal brushing manner.

It is well known that the preferred brushing motion for brushing teeth is an up and down motion, and the up and down brushing motion on the teeth is recommended by dentists universally. However, the shape of a toothbrush and the position of the teeth in a human mouth prevent effective up and down brushing motion on the side and back teeth, although it can be accomplished on the front teeth with the usual toothbrush. In order to provide up and down brushing motion while moving a toothbrush longitudinally of its handle in the usual brushing manner for the back and side teeth, there have been devised in the art oscillating toothbrushes of the type where a bristle carrying head automatically oscillates when the handle of the toothbrush is reciprocated longitudinally when brushing the teeth.

Although oscillating toothbrushes are generally known in the prior patented art, they have not met with any degree of commercial success, apparently because of their complex construction, internal friction, power requirements and difficulty in operation.

The toothbrush of this invention provides an oscillating bristle carrying head which has more leverage or moment arm due to an offset of the head and has less friction requiring less power than the known prior art due to the fact that the brush has no enclosed passages, no (return springs and other complicating mechanisms. The toothbrush is also easily cleanable by virtue of a water flush hole in the handle.

Other features of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, which disclose by Way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode which has been contemplated of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a rear quarter perspective view of the oscillating toothbrush of this invention;

FIG. 2 is as ide elevation view of the toothbrush of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the toothbrush of this invention from the opposite side of FIG. 2 showing the handle portion in section for the sake of clarity;

' FIG. 4 is an end elevation view of the toothbrush of this invention showing the oscillating action in phantom lines;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, an oscillating toothbrush 10 which is the preferred embodiment of this Patented July 19, 1966 invention includes an elongated brush support rod 12 and a tubular handle 14 which are the only two major components of the oscillating toothbrush and the only two components which move relative to one another.

The elongated brush support rod 12 includes an offset end or head 16 connected to the main portion of the rod by an inclined portion 18. A rear guide 20 of cylindrical shape is integral with the rear portion of the rod 12. It is also noted that the rod is generally rectangular in section with curved side edges as shown in FIG. 5. The offset end Otl head 16 carries the usual toothbrush cleaning bristles 22.

Extending from the curved side edges of the elongated brush support rod 12 are cylindrical guide pins 24 and 26, as shown for example in FIG. 5.

The tubular handle 14 includes a large diameter portion 28 and a smaller diameter portion 30. This smaller diameter portion includes the slide bearing surface 32 for rear guide 20. The large diameter portion 28 includes a pair of helical slots 34 and 36 in opposite sides thereof for guiding the guide pins 24 and 26 during relative longitudinal movement between the rod 12 and handle 14. A flushing hole or slot 42 extends through the handle 14 along the bottom thereof to allow water to flush out any accumulated toothpaste, etc.

In operation, during the normal movement of the tubular handle 14 which is held by the person brushing his teeth and with the bristles 22 resting on a persons teeth the relative moment of the handle 14 and rod 12 will cause the rod 12 to oscillate due to its being guided by guide pins 24 and 26 in helical slots 34 and 36 while the tubular handle 14 is reciprocated.

It can be seen that the opened end of the tubular member allows no air pressure to build up inside the device if it were functioning in the manner of a pump. It is also noted that with only two moving parts and no spring, very little friction is encountered and the oscillation in both directions is manual under the control of the person grasping the handle 14. The toothbrush can be made of plastic and there would be very little friction of operation in any position. The openings in the tubular handle also enable water to enter it, thereby acting as a lubricant for the plastic parts where they are in contact. The flushing hole allows the toothbrush interior to be flushed clean of any accumulated toothpaste. The offset head or end 16 further contributes to additional movement arm or leverage for oscillating the head during [reciprocation of the handle.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A toothbrush comprising:

(a) an elongated brush support rod of plastic material including an end portion offset from the axis of the rod and the other end portion being cylindrical and straight,

(b) a plurality of bristles projecting from the surface of the offset end portion,

(c) a hollow open ended tubular handle of plastic material effectively providing a low friction bearing 3,261,047 3 4 allowing the brush rod to reciprocate and oscillate References Cited by the Examiner therein while extending completely therethrough, UNITED STATES PATENTS (d) helical slots extending through the tubular handle,

and 1,835,837 12/1931 Alles 1522 2 660 745 12/1953 Yusko 1522 (e) guide .pins on the rod and extending to Within the 5 helical slot to cause the rod to oscillate when the Q 10/1962 Woog 15 22 handle is reciprocated. FOREIGN PATENTS 2. A toothbrush as defined in claim 1 further corn- 307,862 5/1933 Ita'ly. prising: 351,942 3/ 1961 Switzerland.

(f) means defining a flushing opening through the Wall 10 h of the hollow tubular handle CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Przmary Examiner. 

1. A TOOTHBRUSH COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED BRUSH SUPPORT ROD OF PLASTIC MATERIAL INCLUDING AN END PORTION OFFSET FROM THE AXIS OF THE ROD AND THE OTHER END PORTION BEING CYLINDRICAL AND STRAIGHT, (B) A PLURALITY OF BRISTLES PROJECTING FROM THE SURFACE OF THE OFFSET END PORTION, (C) A HOLLOW OPEN ENDED TUBULAR HANDLE OF PLASTIC MATERIAL EFFECTIVELY PROVIDING A LOW FRICTION BEARING ALLOWING THE BRUSH ROD TO RECIPROCATE AND OSCILLATE THEREIN WHILE EXTENDING COMPLETELY THERETHROUGH, (D) HELICAL SLOTS EXTENDING THROUGH THE TUBULAR HANDLE, AND (E) GUIDE PINS ON THE ROD AND EXTENDING TO WITHIN THE HELICAL SLOT TO CAUSE THE ROD TO OSCILLATE WHEN THE HANDLE IS RECIPROCATED. 